Last year, my native-Floridian ass was living in Russia. Now, don't get me wrong, I *loved* the time I spent there. I would have loved to have gone back for another tour of duty at the American Home, but obviously I didn't. One of the main things holding me back (well, aside from the "salary") was the weather. See, last winter was one of the coldest Russia had seen in decades - even the Russians were complaining about the cold. I didn't think I could do that to myself again. Wouldn't you know this winter is the warmest EVER recorded in Russia! NPR has the story (be sure to listen!).
4 comments:
I suffered through the winter of '06 too, and now am experiencing the warm winter of '07 in Sweden. Although it's nice not to be completely freezing my ass off, I'm really worried about what this portends for climate change...
For years I've jokingly said that global warming wuld be good for Russia (you know, thawing out Siberia and all...) - but it was a joke. Did you catch Putin saying that on the NPR piece? Ack. No wonder that country is so polluted.
...and by "wuld" I mean "would" - I can spell, really. I'm an English teacher, dammit.
I have also enjoyed the mild winter weather in Lexington as I know how incredibly cold that it can get here. Nothing compared to Russia, but like both of you, it does not bode well for the future. Apparently, the drastic climate shifts are common to global warming in that the Earth will experience extremes of weather. I am worried that this may be irreversible and the effects that it will have not simply upon the environment and wild animals but also domestic breeds, fruits, vegetables, and wheats. Many of the new extinctions are just as much the cause of these global climate shifts as they are the result of direct human contact. It’s worrisome to say the least. At yet, we sit, we wait, and ponder whether such a thing as global warming really exists. I have pondered this myself whether this is contemporary millennial anxt in a post millennium world, but we will never know and being from Florida and spending a good time there last summer working outside, it gets really fucking hot in the summer time. Oh well, must read. Here are a few links to extinction that are interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_extinct_animals_of_the_United_States
http://www.wolfsongalaska.org/gray_wolf_tax.html
http://www.fao.org/NEWS/2000/001201-e.htm
http://www.fao.org/docrep/v1650t/v1650t0y.htm
http://www.virtualcentre.org/en/dec/toolbox/Indust/LossAgEA.htm
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20061218-080306-3874r
http://www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfSpecies/north_america.html
http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct/animals.htm
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